


Seeking Truth

by Walkyrie_Kane



Category: Tomb Raider & Related Fandoms, Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:06:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26180869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Walkyrie_Kane/pseuds/Walkyrie_Kane
Summary: Seeking a way to free Sam from Himiko's growing hold, Lara followed in her father's footsteps and pursued his research on the immortal prophet. As Lara approaches the truth every day, her world is so shrinking that it becomes unrecognizable. Alone against all, Lara will have to distinguish her enemies from her allies in order to achieve her ends.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Mirages

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [En quête de vérité](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26180338) by [Walkyrie_Kane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Walkyrie_Kane/pseuds/Walkyrie_Kane). 



> I wanted with this fic to work on the relationship between Sam and Lara during Rise. Lara's motivation is therefore changed. I'm thinking of writing eight chapters, but I'm not sure yet. This is my first fiction, I don't have the habit of writing so regularly yet. Moreover, English is not my mother tongue, I apologize for possible mistakes I have not seen.   
> I hope you will enjoy!  
> Original french under the name "En quête de vérité" / Version française sous le titre "En quête de vérité"

Lara stood in the hallway of the clinic. She had not slept at night, and her only rest took place on the subway. She took her breath again, then opened the door. The morning light made her eyes pleat. She heard the electrocardiogram on her left, and saw Sam, lying, gazing at the ceiling. Lara settled down at her bedside and waited for a reaction that never came.

“Sam,” she began with a short breath, “I have good news, I'm on a track. A good track.” she added hastily.

She thought she heard Sam sigh. Lara fell into her seat. She didn't know what to do. She had spent the last few weeks working tirelessly to help Sam, but she remained inert in her presence.

“What does it change? She will always be there,” answered Sam bitterly, “And you know it as well as I do.”

“No, it’s solid, I found incomplete searches in my father’s books, a story of a prophet”, began Lara.

“Your father's research?” Sam was now standing on her elbow with her face turned to Lara, “Those same research for which he left you out? Those same research that you told me at university, that you said they didn't make sense. Is that your track? Your magic solution to all my problems? And yours, I imagine!” shouted Sam. She was breathing choppy.

Lara's holding her chair tightly. She didn't recognize her best friend any more. The person before her was a stranger.

“Sam, I know it sounds crazy, but what options do we have? Doctors don't understand what's going on, so how could they treat you? I'm the only one who can help you! You have to trust me on this!” cried Lara.

“You are the only one who can help me? There we are you don't see it? Lara is saving her friend, Lara is a hero! You're not, you're the one who caused all this! You came to see me, told me about the cancelled Whitman show, and made me convince my uncle to fund it all! You who led me to Yamatai, straight to Himiko! It's your fault, Lara! You don't want to help me, you want to ease your conscience!” screamed Sam.

Lara suppressed a sob. She knew it was her fault. She wasn't doing that for herself, but for her best friend. Why didn't Sam see how much Lara cared about her? Why couldn't they regain their complicity?

Lara stood up. She could not stay, not without saying something she will regret. She needed air.

“I'll be back next week,” Lara said. “Get some rest, Sam.”

She gave her best friend a last look before leaving the room. She pressed her forehead against the door, but quickly removed it, as if it had been burned. Her whole body told her that she had no place here, but a part of herself persuaded her to continue. She saved Sam once. She could do it again.

* * *

Lara came back to London in a pouring rain and headed for her flat. Soaked, she regretted the fireplaces in the mansion. Her uncle made every effort to remove it from. Despite Ana’s help, Lara had to resolve herself to live a short time away from home. She got her keys and looked up at her building, when a light caught her eye. Lara stopped, thinking she had dreamed, but the light came back quickly. Someone had entered her flat. _Trinity, who else can it be?_ thought Lara, speeding up her pace.

She came to her landing as silently as possible and set out to open the door. Unfortunately, the old lock took a long time to comply, and Lara entered her flat. She could hear the rain flowing through the open window and her father’s record running. Someone was there.

She closed the window and sat on her couch with her head in her hands. Trinity was watching her research, she was convinced. She had to be more careful. She couldn't risk losing everything when Sam was at stake.

Ana went up the stairs and put her key in the lock. She did not hear the muffled noises near the door and shouted when she saw Lara raise her climbing axe towards her. The two women retreated, surprised by the presence of the other.

“Lara, what are you doing?” exclaimed the elder, still in shock.

“Sorry, I thought it was...” Lara paused. She didn't want Ana to worry too much. “Sorry, I'm on my nerves right now,” she finishes.

“I know, Lara.” The blonde sighed as she handed her a magazine. “It's not going to make things better, but you have to know what it said about you”

Lara pulled out her hands and browsed the front page. A picture of her was printed in the centre with the title "Is Madness Hereditary? She threw the magazine on the ground.

“The tabloids, they must have fun with me,” Lara says.

She beckoned Ana to settle down, as she took up her notes scattered on her desk.

“You look restless,” Ana said, “is everything okay?”

Lara turned around:

“I found it Ana, the tomb of the prophet”

“Oh Lara” began the eldest

“Wait,” interrupted Lara, “I'm sure this time. It's in Syria. I leave tomorrow”

“In Syria you say? But it's dangerous, do you realize that? What if something happens to you? Did you think of Sam?”

“Of course, I thought about it! What do you think I'm doing this for? To restore my father's reputation? One discovery will not rehabilitate him! It will take me years to do that.”

The young woman put her hands on her desk. She resumed more slowly:

“That's my only hope, Ana. No matter what lies behind the myth of the prophet, I'm sure it can help Sam. I have to go”

“Lara! It's not a myth that will save Sam! She's sick, she needs doctors, not legends!” said Ana. Lara felt hesitation in her words, but she had no time to focus on it.

“I will go to Syria. I will find the tomb and get answers, no matter what will stand in my way.” In these words, Lara returned to her search.

Ana left the flat later in the evening. In an unspoken agreement, the two women had not talked of the tomb, but Lara’s mother-in-law had taken her in her arms, both to wish her good luck and to hold her back.

* * *

Sam woke up in the afternoon. She tilted her head to her right and saw an empty chair. She remembered the morning visit. Sam couldn’t believe she said all these things to Lara. The way she left still hurts Sam.

She could have thanked her for everything she was doing, telling her to be careful, that everything will be fine. Yet she couldn't. Recently, Himiko’s influence became more intense, so that Sam was entrenched in her mind, unable to act.

At first, it happened at night, in her dreams. The queen whispered to her ear, increasingly louder. Then she dreamed of her old life in Yamatai. Now, Sam had absences, she had seizures, she no longer controlled her body. Regrettably, the queen took control during Lara's visits.

Sam knew what Himiko was up to. The queen isolated the girl to better control her. No one believed her, the doctors spoke of post-traumatic syndrome, but did not understand that the trauma had never stopped, and she was still there, growing up in Sam’s mind.

The queen's whispers came back. Sam had to stop hearing them. The young woman yelled Lara's name. She screamed again and again, struggled against Himiko’s grip when a violent pain crossed her head. She collapsed on her bed, unconscious.

* * *

The next day, Lara flew to Syria. At the airport, she took out her phone:

“Jonah? It's Lara, I've arrived, how's Sam?” Her friend sighed:

“She had another crisis tonight, the doctors put her under sedatives. You should be here, Lara, she needs you.”

“Believe me, I'm more useful here. Look, I'll rent a car and get close to the tomb. I need to know you're gonna stay with Sam.”

“Don't worry about it, I didn't intend to leave it, blew Jonah. And, little bird, be careful of you, okay? You are in a war zone, it is serious.”

“I promise you, Jonah, Lara hung up and looked for a way to get to the border.”

Two hours later, Lara sat in an all-terrain vehicle alongside a local guide, Haazim al-Daoud. He had to take her as close as possible to the oasis without arousing suspicion. The adventurer’s GPS told her that they were within a kilometre of their destination, but she saw nothing other than the desert. The guide doubted:

“There's nothing here, are you sure to continue?”

“Yes, don't stop,” Lara replied. She clutched the GPS and looked for the eyes of the ruins, a rock fault, anything. She wouldn't settle for a simple ravine, she had to find the tomb.

A helicopter flew over them. Lara noted that he had no symbols of allegiance to an army, and turned to Haazim, who nervously looked in the mirrors.

“You talked about it, didn't you? I told you to stay discreet!” exclaimed the archaeologist.

The helicopter passed again. Haazim defended himself:

“They gave me money, a lot of money, you can't refuse that!”

Lara was about to insult him when the helicopter reappeared and started firing.

“We have to lose them!” said Lara

“And how are you going to do that?” retorted the guide.

She couldn't answer his question. Their attackers were now flying in front of the car, and Haazim was shot in the head. Lara, unprepared, took over the wheel and tried to avoid the projectiles. A sudden kick tipped the vehicle. She hit her head, and her vision fell apart. Lara heard the flippers of the helicopter, as if it was muffled by cotton. The sight of flames escaping from the engine made her react. Lara pulled out of the vehicle, and the blast of the explosion tipped it down a slope. The adventurer fell on the ground, her breath cut by the shock.

After she regained her mind, Lara rose and observed her environment. She was on a ledge overlooking an isolated town. The warm air burned her lungs, and her scratches tore her skin. She felt a viscous mass in her hair and understood that it was her blood.

_I must go ahead, it should be nearby_ , she thought. She needed a goal. Lara had always worked like this. Faced with problems, she always gave herself a task, a reason to move forward. That was how she survived on the island, and that’s how she would find the tomb.

The archaeologist evolved slowly along the wall. Her injuries, superficial, slowed her down all the same. Her vertigo did not get better with the heat, Lara had to stop several times. After a painstaking climb, she arrived at a water evacuation. The hose coming out of the wall was there for a long time. She approached and examined the metal.

“A water exit,” breathed Lara, “but why install an irrigation system in a tomb? Unless... yes, I think I heard Dad set up a theory.”

Lara pulled a tape recorder out of her pocket and looked for the right record, which she immediately listened to:

“The prophet quickly attracted entire crowds, said Richard, his faithful gathered in houses, public places. When Trinity pursued them, the prophet and his followers settled in an oasis, hidden in the eyes of all. It is said that they lived there for years before Trinity caught up with them and killed the prophet. His faithful built a tomb within their refuge.”

“That's it! I must be on the right track,” says Lara as she gets into the passage.

The water reached her knees. She smelled humidity and mold. The adventurer progressed through the hose until she reached a cave. Frescoes and inscriptions were found on the rock. Lara got closer. Successive flooding had damaged the markings, but the archaeologist could decipher a word: “prophet”. A smile appeared on her face. For the first time in weeks, she had found something concrete. These were no longer theories, but facts. She had found the prophet, his tomb. She could finally save Sam.

Lara found a way out. Febrile, she pulled the stones out. In front of her was the most beautiful archaeological site she could see. The tomb, cut from the cliff, would stretch out of sight, all in columns and reliefs. Between the ruins and Lara was a magnificent oasis with lush vegetation.

Hope grew in Lara. Confident, she began to climb a structure near an aqueduct to reach the entrance. A few mechanisms activated later, she managed to reach the sarcophagus.

* * *

Above her, Konstantin ordered his men to trap the tomb. Nothing but them and the artefact should come out of it. He leaned over and watched Lara open the coffin. Strangely enough, she came up with nothing. He was surprised by her attitude. She seemed confused. Konstantin worried about it, before changing his mind. The archaeologist had to know what she was doing. She was the one who brought them here. The artefact was there.

Konstantin thought it was time to play the game openly. He ordered his men to arm the explosives and began his descent. He saw the sarcophagus close quickly. Good. She was still there. Konstantin was not the kind to hide from his enemies. Two of his men went down with him. He called them the tomb:

“Open it,” he said. “Carefully, we do not know what the dangers are,” he added, preparing for the inevitable confrontation.

The soldiers retreated when the adventurer came out and aimed at her.

“Who are you?” she asked, her gun out. Konstantin beckoned his men to lower theirs.

“There is no need to hide ourselves any longer,” he answered. “You know who we are for a long time.”

“Trinity,” let Lara go, “you never stop.”

“I don't see the Croft family either. Let's get to the point: where is the artefact?”

Lara's heart missed a beat. An artefact. The source of the prophet's miracles. Lara reinforced her grip on her gun. This man knew more than she did.

“I won't let you take it,” she bluffed.

Konstantin blamed himself immediately. The face of the adventurer had betrayed her ignorance. He had just given her a clue. He was ordered to let her live, but he was considering another option.

“Don't play dumb with me,” he says, approaching her.

Lara retreated, forced to lower her gun. She would not win this fight, so she tried a different approach.

“The coffin is empty, and I didn't take anything. What you are looking for is no longer there,” she replied.

Konstantin sighed. He won't get anything from her. He did not understand why the High Council was so keen on her being alive. He saw only a young girl trying to walk in the footsteps of her father.

He carried his hand to his belt when he realized that the detonator was no longer there. He saw Lara activate it and take shelter in the sarcophagus. _She's crazy_ , he thought. _She's going to kill us all!_

He grabbed the rope and escaped by helicopter. He could still see Lara's determined face. She had not hesitated to destroy the tomb. Underestimating her was a mistake. She would be a tougher opponent than he thought. It didn’t matter. He would still achieve his end and save the one he loved the most.


	2. A trail in the snow

Konstantin no longer had any leads. He massaged the temples, trying to avoid a migraine. He had dedicated his life to the search for the artefact, all sacrificed for trinity, for nothing. Croft had destroyed everything in seconds. He passed cold water on his face and raised his head, his reflection facing him. He was a soldier, he was the chosen one for that mission. There was no more time for doubt. He had to act.

He had been informed that Croft was continuing her father's research, she was bound to find something. He gave the order to one of his most faithful soldiers to spy on the archaeologist and to kill her at the appropriate time. Trinity will not let another Croft get in their way.

․․․

Kennard Montez entered the mansion at nightfall. The building was in a poor condition, the grinding and the gaping holes on the roof allow it to enter without being seen. Croft lives alone in this huge mansion, the task would not be easy, but Konstantin trusted him. The soldier inspected the east wing, the least dilapidated, and found the archaeologist sleeping in one of the rooms.

Carefully, he entered the office and moved behind the computer. It was protected by a password, but nothing insurmountable. After a few minutes, Montez choked a swear. Croft didn’t have many notes on her computer, nothing Trinity didn’t know. She had to work the old-fashioned way, which did not help the soldier. The floor of the office was littered with papers, and notes were covering the walls. Seeking through all this would take him time he didn’t have.

As he was about to lock the computer, he saw an alert on the screen. Croft had received an email from a man named Jonah, warning her that he would come the next day as agreed. Montez smiled. She had to find something and wanted to talk to her friend about it. The soldier stood up and left, determined to return. He would have to listen and eliminate them once he had what he needed.

․․․

Lara was holding Sam's hand. She was watching her friend's sleepy face. Sleep seemed to be Sam's only resting moment, but Lara suspected that Himiko was still there.

“So much has happened in such a short time, Sam. I went to Syria, found the tomb, but there was nobody. And then Atlas, my uncle, tried to take me out of the manor house. I don't understand why he hates me so much. He hated my father because of my mother's choice.” Lara stood up in her chair. “I found my mother, Sam! Dad buried her in the family crypt. She left me a letter. She said how proud she was of me, how proud I became. I hope I didn't let her down. You know I didn't like to go to the manor after everything that happened. I have always seen it as a cold place, soulless, especially when Ana left for outbuilding. But with all this, the way Atlas tried to take it away from me, I realize how proud I am of being a Croft․”

Lara stopped. She was not used to talking to someone without waiting for an answer. She pinned her lips and remembers:

“I'm gonna ask Jonah to come with me this time. He's been such a good friend lately. Not many people can understand what I have, what we have lived through. He's so good at listening to others. I really would like him to come. Honestly, I don't know if he's going to take that risk. He wants a quiet life. We'll see.”

During her brief visit to Syria, the adventurer observed symbols in the tomb. She wasn't particularly interested, but these crosses were familiar to her. When her uncle forced her to leave the mansion for good, Lara has left no stone unturned to find her father's will. Fortunately, she also found the symbol of the tomb. In tracking Richard's research, Lara found out about the divine source. A mysterious artefact capable, according to legend, of delivering from all evil whoever possesses it.

After seeing Himiko reborn, Lara was ready to accept the impossible. She even thought that the source could be tied to the Japanese Queen in one way or another. She'd see that later. Her priority was to bring the source back to Sam.

․․․

Jonah arrived at the manor earlier than expected. Lara left him a message two days before about an artefact, a group, Sam. He didn't get it, but he was worried about her. He hoped that she did not get obsessed with her father's work, but he was not naive. Lara welcomed him and takes him in his arms. She led him to her office.

“Lara, what's going on?” He asked her.

“You know the tomb I was looking for in Syria,” she started. Jonah rolled his eyes. Lara was well back in one of her obsessions. Her "tourist" journey couldn't calm her down.

“What, the tomb? I thought it was empty?”

“It was, but there was a symbol, the same one in my father's notebooks, the symbol of Kitezh!” she exclaimed.

Hiding in the servants’ corridor, Kennard Montez raised his ear.

“Kitezh? What is it?”

“A lost city in the tundra! Russia's Atlantis! Everything is connected, Jonah! The prophet survived the trinitarians, and he took his followers there! But that's not all: he had an artefact with him, what my father was looking for, the divine source. Trinity wants it too!”

The soldier smiled and prepared his knife. He had everything he needed.

“Just like you, but why do you want to find it?”

Lara looked at him, mouth beaten.

“Why? But for Sam! It will heal her, I'm sure. Everything will be the same as before”

“Lara, stop! Do you hear yourself talking? She needs you and you're going to the other side of the world? Be a true friend and stay with her!”

“You don't understand. I have to go, I have to try. If you don't want to come, I'll go alone.”

Lara turned her back and stacked papers on her desk. Jonah left the room with regret. He hated those moments when Lara thought only of one thing. She forgot everything else, which really mattered.

She knocked over the objects on her desk. The lamp broke on the ground, plunging Lara into the dark. The last few weeks had been stressful, and she felt so lonely. She understood why her father was so on the brink before his death. He was isolated, misunderstood.

Montez waited until Jonah walked past the opening before he went out. He headed for the office. She didn't hear him come in, and he lifted his knife, ready to hit. The broken lamp blinded, Lara saw a shadow. She turned around in time to stop the soldier’s attack. He tried to strangle her, but he got a blow on his head. Behind him stood Jonah, a candlestick in his hand.

Compromised, Montez took Richard's notebook and run out of the window. Once out of reach, he stopped and swore against his negligence. He should have killed the man in the hallway before he entered the office. He had the information, but Konstantin wouldn’t be happy to know that Croft is still alive.

․․․

The freezing wind whipped her face. Lara stood up and observed the mountain. _The view is magnificent from here_ , she thought. She would have liked to have more time, to enjoy the ascent with Jonah, to see a northern dawn even. Not to mention Syria, Lara is doing her first archaeological expedition, like her father years ago.

She was happy to share this with her friend, now that he changed his mind, but the turn of events left a bitter taste in her mouth. Trinity were on her heels. The stakes were too high. Lara hated this race against the clock, it took some of her pleasure. _Could I one day explore ruins without constantly watching my back?_ she wondered.

․․․

The climb was difficult. The storm was catching up with them, snow slides threatened to collapse everything. They had to walk along a ridge, one behind the other. The thunder roared around them. Lara advanced cautiously, with snow drifting under her feet.

When she thought that the hardest part had passed, a lightning flash startled her, and she lost her balance. She slipped along the ice and pressed hard on her climbing axe, which planted in the ice. Lara heard Jonah calling her. She gave him no time to pull out his rope. Armed with her second axe, she climbed up the hill and joined her friend. He looked at her, alarmed, and urged her to be more careful.

Lara and Jonah stopped for a few moments in a sheltered passage. She examined the approximate coordinates given to her by a valley guide. He said he saw ruins in the heights during those excursions. He was old and had hesitated in the location. Lara, however, felt that he had told the truth. Her whole being told her she was close. Her instinct never deceived her.

She took out her mother's bracelet. Amelia died in a mountain like this one. The wind blew out on the outside, the elements reminding Lara of the danger of her ascension. _I can do it. I'll survive._

They came out of the cave and stopped immediately. There was no way to walk anymore, they should climb the ice wall. Jonah prepared the material and clung to Lara, who began her ascent.

Lara climbed painfully to the top of the mountain. His arms were hardened by effort. She had hurried to the top and her wrists hurt her because of the climbing axes. Snow to her knees, she hurries to set a rope for Jonah.

While she waited for him to rise, she looked at the horizon and couldn't hold back a laugh. She saw Byzantine-style ruins. The old guide was right. The lost city was not far away. Exalted, Lara called Jonah, but the wind swallowed her words. The storm was getting closer than expected. Lara came closer to the edge hoping that Jonah would soon join her.

With Jonah at her side again, the adventurer is back on her way up. She frowned upon the sky. Those black clouds weren't there a few moments ago. Time was playing against them. Determined, she pushed her crampons into the ice and climbed the hill.

She turned her back on the mountain to reach out to Jonah, but he didn't take her hand. Horrified, he points to the mountain. Lara looked out. An avalanche was heading straight towards them. Jonah pushed her to an old mountain path as he left in the opposite direction. Too panicked to think, Lara ran as fast as possible, but the snow was faster than her and Lara was swept away by the power of the avalanche.

․․․

The cold surrounded Lara. Nothing but the cold. She couldn't see where she was, and her whole body hurt her. She pushed herself and used her last forces to get out of the snow. The air froze her lungs. She glanced around her. She had descended the side of the mountain and landed in a forest. Lara searched her pockets. She had some rations, glowing sticks and her radio. She looked for a rescue frequency, or Jonah's, but she heard nothing.

She was alone now, and she was going to have to survive once again. She walked through the thick snow, her coarse legs slowing her. She didn't see the downhill and fell over. The snow slipped into her jacket, making her shiver. Lara arrived at an ancient camp, probably used by explorers or hunters. The wolf screams made her lean for the latter option.

The adventurer made a fire and used the rest of the wood to make a makeshift bow. She was not welcome in the hostile nature, not to mention trinity. She didn't know where they were, and her axes wouldn't be enough to defend herself.

Once rested, Lara did what she knew best, exploring. Now that she had regained strength, the forest seemed less threatening to her. She found Mongolian ruins, as well as traces of the passage of an army, a few centuries ago. According to Lara's research on the lost city, Kitezh had almost been invaded by the Mongols. If she follows the footsteps of the army, she should find the city, hoping that Trinity do not have the same idea.

Lara lit the fire for the night. She hunted a rabbit and ate it, to save her meagre rations. She warmed her hands and prepared other arrows. The radio hissed and the young woman picked it up immediately. She had set it on the channel that Jonah was to use, but her relief was short-lived. An unknown male voice escaped from the radio:

“Konstantin, have you reached the point of rally?”

“Yes, I installed the command centre in the old Soviet complex. It looks like they have found artefacts related to the lost city, we will search in this direction”

“Any problems to report?”

“Scouts report an enemy presence, natives. They are understaffed compared to us and their weapons are ridiculous. Nothing that should worry us”

“Good. The Trinity believe in you, Konstantin. Don't disappoint us. Over. »

Lara exhaled. Trinity were already there, installed and in number. Finding the lost city wouldn't be so easy. She ends up thinking about an action plan. Konstantin, probably the man she met in Syria, talked about a Soviet complex. Lara could go there and find information. Alone, she should be able to slip through the net. With that plan, Lara began to sleep, confident.

The radio woke her up in the middle of the night. Soldiers were about to sweep a forest, following the lead of two natives, a man and a woman. Lara realized that they were talking about where she was, so she got up in a hurry, put out the campfire and left. She used the trees and managed to find the group of soldiers upstream of her camp. She noticed that the smoke was still visible and hoped that they would not look for it.

Lara watched them when a movement on her right drew her eyes. A redheaded woman and an older man headed for the soldiers, bows in hand. The man advanced, banding his bow, but as he was about to shoot, he stepped on a branch. The sound caused the soldiers to turn around and open fire. The two natives ran away from Lara's view, followed by the soldiers.

The gunfire that followed wasn’t a good omen and the adventurer undertook to eliminate the remaining mercenaries in the forest. After searching all the bodies, Lara searched for the native woman, without success. She got ready to face the bear, and she walked through the ice cave.

․․․

Lara came emerged frozen from the icy water. The bear cave was huge, she had to swim a good distance. She warmed her chest with her arms, but her teeth shattered without stopping. Lara kept going.

As she walked, a thrill ran down her spine. An arrow pierced the snow at her feet and Lara immediately turned. A young red woman aimed at her bow, ready to shoot. The adventurer recognized her, she was chased by soldiers in the forest. If this woman were the enemy of trinity, Lara could convince her to help each other. Seeing the suspicious attitude of the redhead, the archaeologist thought she would have to prove herself worthy.

“I am not against you,” Lara exclaimed.

“Maybe, but you're here for the same reason as them”

Her piercing eyes stared at Lara as she tightened her grip on her bow. Lara didn't know what to answer. She retired:

“I know that soldiers were chasing you in the forest,” she says, studying the face of the young woman. “They tried to kill me, too”

The woman lowered her bow in response. Lara studied her outfit. It had Byzantine details. The redhead had spoken of trinity as invaders; could it be that she was among the descendants of the people of the prophet? _The ruins of the lost city must not be far away_ , thought Lara, _I must get there before Konstantin, this woman could perhaps help me._

“These invaders, when did they arrive?” asked Lara. She needed to know how much trinity is ahead of her.

“Less than a week ago, but more will come,” said the young woman, wary. “My men and I will take care of them.” She aimed at Lara again. “And of all those who oppose us”

“I am not against you,” Lara said, finding no other arguments. After all, she was also looking for the divine source, and this young woman would not help her so easily. “I'm not with them either”

“We will see about that,” said the redhead. An explosion was heard from the Soviet complex. Lara, distracted by the noise, did not see the woman leave.

․․․

Lara descended into the Soviet complex. From her point of view, she planned to go through an old building before reaching the command centre. Lara moved carefully and eliminated the soldiers she saw.

She stopped for a moment when a helicopter passed over her to land a little further. Lara spied on the mercenaries’ conversations. They were agitated since the explosion and seeing the helicopter did not reassure them. One of them mentioned a prisoner who could be in possession of information, which awakened Lara’s interest. Konstantin was going to want to speak him, and he will not be patient. Lara decided to change her plans and go to the Gulag.

Lara arrived in a warehouse full of guards. She hid and focused. She couldn't afford to be spotted. The surprise effect was her only asset. Before she could react, the metal door opened. Konstantin entered with elite soldiers. He spoke to a mercenary:

“You,” he said. “You were in charge of the mission, weren't you?”

“I was”, the soldier answered with hesitation. “But I assure you, we did what we could”

“That wasn't enough.” Konstantin took the mercenary's face in his hands. “You had to do more, you got to outdo yourself. What are you here for, otherwise?”

He could not answer anything but screams. Konstantin shoved his thumbs into his eyes, his face stoic. Lara witnessed the sordid spectacle distraught. She felt like throwing up. Some mercenaries looked the other way, but the elite soldiers stood there, captivated by their leader. Konstantin let go of the mercenary and turned to the other men.

“You know what you have to do. Obey and you will be rewarded beyond your expectations․” He left the room, followed by his faithful soldiers.

Lara shivered. That man was a fanatic. _What did he promise the mercenaries? The divine source?_ she thought. If it fell into his hands, he could do whatever he wanted. Lara couldn't allow it.

․․․

Lara arrived near her gulag entry point. She approached the base of the radio tower and eliminated the three mercenaries present. She went to sit near the makeshift camp when a noise from the small construction drew her attention. _There's someone in there_ , she thought.

She opened the door with her climbing axe and pointed her gun over the only person in the room. The man, dressed as the mercenaries she had killed, raised his hands as a sign of surrender.

 _I said the same thing, too_ , thought Lara, remembering the strange encounter earlier. Now that she was on the other side of the conversation, she understands the young woman's distrust of her. Lara was looking at him. He didn't look armed, but she couldn't trust him.

"What are you doing with them, then?”

“I'm just a technician, not a mercenary! I've been working for trinity for several years, but I was just doing maintenance. But here I saw their real face, the way they talk, this is a cult, they're crazy, I can't stay... I need your help”

Lara hesitated. She couldn't lower her guard, not now, she was so close to the gulag. She decided to save time, because the man in front of her did not look aggressive.

“What do you want?” she asked․

The man gave a gesture to the equipment on the tables.

“I stole some stuff,” he explained. “I was going to use this to run away from the complex, but it's too dangerous.” His shoulders collapsed. “They're everywhere, and I'm not a soldier. But I think I can bribe a guy to get me out. I need a something in exchange. Everything you can find is fine to me, and this gear is yours”

Lara considered his offer. It wasn't with her meagre arsenal that she could find the divine source before trinity. She couldn't trust him completely, but enough for some material. She gave a handful of coins and got a picklock. After all, she would have to hook up some locks to infiltrate the gulag.

․․․

Lara took the zip line and landed near a chapel. She approached it carefully and peered inside. Konstantin stood here, back to her. Suddenly, the mysterious voice that Lara heard in the forest went through the radio:

“Konstantin, report. Have you solved the problem of natives?”

“My men encountered unexpected difficulties,” he said. “The natives jammed our communications and set traps near the complex. My men are still scattered.”

“You told me that you had the situation in hand,” replied the man coldly, “I thought you would be able to contain resistance from ‘peasants’, according to the reports of your scouts.”

“These are nothing, one of the mercenaries was not up to our ambitions,” said Konstantin. “He served as an example. My men are more motivated than ever.”

“I expect better of you. Maybe I should send you reinforcements. In case the situation gets out of your control”

“Out of question!” sharply retorted Konstantin.

“Sorry?”

“I mean, it won't be worth it, commander. I have all the means here. The facilities of the Soviets allowed us to move ahead. Their information about the region is promising.”

“The council is getting impatient,” replied the man. “And me. You have been searching for the artefact for too long without results. Try to complete this mission. Over.”

Konstantin put the radio down.

“Pretentious bastard,” he muttered.

 _Interesting_ , thought Lara. _Konstantin is being watched, he's obeying someone else's orders. He doesn't seem to like it. What is he hiding from trinity?_

Lara waited until he had left the chapel to pass through the window. She approached the makeshift table. She saw a map of the area, with the strategic locations of the complex, but nothing to do with the valley he was talking about. The map must be somewhere else. She found reports, orders, but nothing that could help her in her research. Although Konstantin had arrived before her, he has not yet found the location of the lost city. Lara still had a chance to beat him. She had to find this prisoner, learn what he knows. As Lara was about to leave, the door of the chapel opened. Konstantin and two soldiers surrounded her․

“I knew you would arrive in Siberia, but I didn’t think you were stupid enough to throw yourself in the lion’s den,” he said in a mocking voice.

“You overestimate me then? Must I feel flattered?” she replied.

“That's enough”

He nodded to one of his soldiers. Lara turned around in her direction when the vision of a gun butt darkened her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this new chapter! I tried to make it longer than the first one. Don't forget to leave a comment!


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